Archive for the ‘Crappie Tackle’ Tag

Considering the multitude of changes in fishing tackle during the past 10 years, it is difficult to single out the top one. Think about all the changes in rods, reels, spider-rigs, fish locators, hooks, artificial lures, plastic baits, jigs that have come into the sport. We have come a long way since the advent of the “crappie rig” and the “jigging pole.”

Last week while fishing with the Phil and Eve Rambo at the Alabama State Championship on theAlabama River, I posed the question to them. Without hesitation, Phil came back with “the Hummingbird Fish Finder.”

“You can see the bottom structure and the fish just like a photo,” he exclaimed. The unit has the side scan ability giving on a picture of not only the bottom but also an almost 3-Dimensional view beneath the boat.

Phil explained this ability to view the bottom helps to eliminate many promising locations that do not have fish on them. He also is able to find fish and make sure he is concentrating his efforts in the strike zone.

The image is not an actual photo but the down and side-scan sonar interprets the direction and speed at which sound goes out and returns. The unit to give a similar image picture processes it. Fish appear as dots or small circles as opposed to the arches displayed on traditional sonar units.

The unit processes the sound waves like a MRI and then analyzes the data to produce a 3-D image. The image gives a view up to 480 feet out from the boat. It allows one to cover more water in less time by not wasting time on unproductive locations.